BCP's, I have a failing IO520A starter adapter. Niagra Air parts wants about a grand for overhaul and another grand for core. Does anybody have experience rebuilding their own adapter or having it done by anybody else? Any experience on costs and outcomes would be great. Also there are two types of adapters offered one is supposedly longer lived but more pragmatic and the other is less troublesome but not so long lived, whatever that all means. Any stories on this one would be helpful! Thanks all.

I dont know the answer but i would like to.
I think i'm about to have the same issue on my 550. Be nice to learn if there are other options out there?

So, I'm not coming up with glowing praise in favor of Niagra. I did find an outfit in MN called Bolduc Aviation and have found several favorable comments about them and no negative ones so far. Anybody have experience with them? Their price is $825 exchange and their core charge is the same as Niagra's at $1000. Any thoughts or stories of personal experience would be early appreciated.

I remember them doing one on a 185 in my hangar once, it involved winding a spring and a bunch of cussing, if I recall correctly.

Is your core shot? If not then the charge is of no real concern. If so, then ouch!

Many an old-timer in these parts swear it's the semi-synthetic oil that causes premature failure. Me, I don't know.

gb

flyingzebra wrote:So, I'm not coming up with glowing praise in favor of Niagra. I did find an outfit in MN called Bolduc Aviation and have found several favorable comments about them and no negative ones so far. Anybody have experience with them? Their price is $825 exchange and their core charge is the same as Niagra's at $1000. Any thoughts or stories of personal experience would be early appreciated.

Bolduc @ KANE is a good shop & good people. Ask for to Kevin.

L-19 wrote:

flyingzebra wrote:So, I'm not coming up with glowing praise in favor of Niagra. I did find an outfit in MN called Bolduc Aviation and have found several favorable comments about them and no negative ones so far. Anybody have experience with them? Their price is $825 exchange and their core charge is the same as Niagra's at $1000. Any thoughts or stories of personal experience would be early appreciated.

Bolduc @ KANE is a good shop & good people. Ask for to Kevin.

How do you contact them

Glidergeek wrote:How do you contact them

Google tells me this... http://www.bolducaviation.com/

Glidergeek wrote:

L-19 wrote:

flyingzebra wrote:So, I'm not coming up with glowing praise in favor of Niagra. I did find an outfit in MN called Bolduc Aviation and have found several favorable comments about them and no negative ones so far. Anybody have experience with them? Their price is $825 exchange and their core charge is the same as Niagra's at $1000. Any thoughts or stories of personal experience would be early appreciated.

Bolduc @ KANE is a good shop & good people. Ask for to Kevin.

How do you contact them

I'd use a telephone.




(763) 780-1185

Tadpole wrote:

Glidergeek wrote:How do you contact them

Google tells me this... http://www.bolducaviation.com/

Makes it easier with contact info thanks Tadpole

Glidergeek wrote:Makes it easier with contact info thanks Tadpole

It's all there with their operating hours, phone, and even an email address

Here's my two experiences with starter drives. When I had an "A" engine on my 54 180 it had an odd ball that was the same principle as the later engines. When it started to slip there were no more factory new but a guy in Arizona had a shaft that met spec's. Bolduc put it together for me after I found a shaft. What happens is the shaft that the spring wraps and tightens on gets worn to a smaller diameter and the spring can't tighten up on it anymore. I think I remember that the shaft could be turned down once and an undersize new spring used. When I overhauled my O 470 K, a guy in Oregon had an STC to hard chrome the shaft back up to new spec's and use a new standard spring. That worked for a lot of starts for me but I talked to someone that was skeptical about the chrome flaking off.

I got mine from these guys.

http://www.aircraft-specialties.com/

FlyingZ', how many hours are on that adapter? What starter are you using?

We run a handful of big block Continentals with Aeroshell 15w-50. We never had any issues with starter adapters going to TBO until Continental came out with the little, gear driven starter. There is a SB out there, sorry I don't remember the number, that referenced torque required to turn the starter backwards so the starter drive will disengage. I memory serves correctly it's around 15in/lbs. Don't quote me though without referencing the SB. The "new" gear driven starters turn backwards very hard so they wont the the adapter disengage completely, so the spring stays at least partially "loaded" and wears the shaft out. As soon as we went back to the "old" style starters our adapter issues went away.

I know this doesn't answer your immediate question, but it could help resolve some future issues. When I get to work in the morning I will look and see if I have any paperwork on the adapter rebuilds, but I think those engines are long gone now.

Over the last couple of years we have had two starter adaptors installed in Barons fail inflight. The adaptor would actually fail to disengage causing the adaptor and starter to literally burn up. The engines ended up contaminated with metal and the pilot's trousers where ruined. We did a bit of checking and there are several SDR's popping up around the adaptors. Why they have been failing as of late is not known, but it does seem to be happening with greater frequency, based upon the number we are replacing lately.

BCP's, thanks for the helpful responses. My adapter was installed ~125 hours ago during the major and is listed in the log entry as "a serviceable unit". So, I have zero idea what it's history is. Considering the great lengths the rebuilder otherwise went to, I'm surprised by this but maybe he was getting to the end of that project and the bank was running dry. The receipts certainly support that.
I think I'm going with Bolduc. Their price is good and everything I can find about them, including some of your comments, support them being a solid company. I did talk by phone with someone there yesterday and was pleased with the conversation. The guy seemed straight forward and not trying to push a sale. Thanks much for your help. The BCP brain trust is quite an asset to keep in the tool box!

Good outcome. Bolduc Aviation in Blaine Minnesota sold me an overhauled adapter for $825. They shipped the overhauled unit very quickly and it works perfect. My full $1000 core charge was refunded within about a month. So, other than that airplanes are crazy expensive, that all ended pretty well. Between the new starter adapter and the SkyTec starter spinning it about a thousand times faster, I have discovered it's a lot easier to flood on hot starts though.
Thanks for the input all!